


Those Were The Days.

by steeleye



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen, Non-song songfic, Old Age, rememberence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 07:06:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5154791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steeleye/pseuds/steeleye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Non-song-songfic, based on the story behind the words. Buffy goes for a quiet glass of wine to remember the old days. But even on a quiet night her past catches up with her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Were The Days.

Those Were the Days.

By Steeleye.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Buffyverse or the song which is the subject of this fic. I write these stories for fun not profit.

 **Crossover:** Songfic, cross over with the Mary Hopkins hit, ‘Those Were the Days’.

 **Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation:** Written in glorious English-English, which is different from American-English. 

**Timeline:** Twenty or thirty years post Season Seven (I ignore the comics).

 **Words:** 2900+.

 **Warnings:** None.

Summary: Non-song-songfic, based on the story behind the words. Buffy goes for a quiet glass of wine to remember the old days. But even on a quiet night her past catches up with her.

0=0=0=0

_Those were the days my friend,  
We thought they’d never end,  
We’d sing and dance forever and a day.  
We’d live the life we choose,  
We’d fight and never lose,  
For we were young and sure to have our way._

Leaning heavily on her walking stick Buffy looked up at the front of the pub on Shaftsbury Avenue in London’s Theatreland. It was one of those fake Irish pubs that had sprung up during the 1980’s. They were usually called something like ‘Flannigan’s’ or ‘Shenanigan’s’ or any one of a hundred names no real Irish pub would be called. Most had fallen by the wayside over the years but somehow this one had hung on. Years ago, when the Slayer’s and Watcher’s Council had moved its operation back to London, it had become a sort of meeting place. A place to go for slayers and their watchers when they were in ‘town’, but now on a cold, wet early winter’s evening there was only Buffy; she shivered a little as the cold wind blew some rain down her collar.

The damp weather had brought on the pain in her leg again; she refused to take the painkillers that her doctor prescribed for her. The pain helped her remember to be more careful. It must have been ten years ago now; she’d rushed into a warehouse to take on a demon magician without checking the place out first. She’d not seen the minion hiding behind the door. It was on that day Buffy had learnt an important lesson; sometimes even minions get lucky. The blow had shattered her right thigh bone, if she’d been a normal human she’d be confined to a wheelchair now. As it was it had taken her nearly six months to recover and the screws and plates in her leg set off metal detectors for miles around when she limped by. So now she stood outside the pub, looking up at the sign over the door without really seeing it and wondering if she really wanted to go in.

“Might as well,” she told herself, “no point standing out here in the rain…”

Taking a step towards the door she had to wait as a group of young people burst out of the door as they chattered and laughed amongst themselves. Only the girl at the rear of the group seemed to notice Buffy; she held the door open for the grey haired old lady with the walking stick before following her friends down the street.

0=0=0=0

After limping up to the bar, Buffy eased herself onto a stool and sighed with relief as the weight came off her leg. Struggling to take off her wet waterproof jacket and find somewhere to put her stick she didn’t notice the barman come over to her until he spoke.

“Can I help you?” he asked with a welcoming smile.

“Only if you can change the weather,” Buffy finally won the wrestling match with her jacket; she returned the barman’s smile and sighed as she tried to decide what to drink. “A glass of the house red please.”

Buffy started to search for her purse.

“Large or small?” asked the barman.

“Oh,” Buffy looked up and grinned, “I think I’ll go wild tonight and have a large one.”

While the barman poured her drink Buffy took a moment to look around the bar. It was completely different to how she remembered it, yet somehow it was just the same. The glass appeared in front of her and she handed the barman a banknote from her purse. Absently she accepted her change as she continued to study the bar; she suddenly realized why it all seemed so familiar. Although the walls had been painted and the furniture replaced it was all laid out just as she remembered it.

Looking over to her right away from the entrance she saw the smaller rear section of the pub. It was almost completely cut off from the rest of the bar making it a little private area. It was still furnished with armchairs and low tables; in her minds eye she saw it as it used to be. One side of the room would be filled with laughing, chattering slayers giggling and boasting as they described their latest kills. On the other side of the room would sit their watchers. They’d be discussing the difficulties of looking after teenage girls who were so full of energy that it made them breathless just to watch them.

Somewhere between the two groups stood the older watchers and slayers, the ones who had maybe seen too much. The ones that had been in Sunnydale at the beginning and then there would be Buffy and her few remaining friends always there but always a little apart from everyone else. Now Buffy really was alone; Dawn had vanished without trace along with her slayer bodyguard, it must be nearly twenty years ago now. Giles had died a couple of years ago, oddly of natural courses. Old age had finally caught up with him and he’d died peacefully sitting in his favourite chair. Willow had become something of a recluse after Kennedy had been killed. Buffy only saw her now if there was some dire emergency. 

Living on an island in the Pacific, Xander had eventually cut all contact with the Council, he sent Christmas and birthday cards and the occasional e-mail; but Buffy hadn’t seen him in years. Vi, Rona, Caridad, Choa-Ahn and so many others, all gone now, most of them dead. Killed in one battle or another…the Slayer always dies in the end, but the line goes on. Of the old gang there was really only herself and Faith left.

All her hopes and dreams of a near normal life had been dashed on the rocks of making the new council work. Finding the new chosen slayers, collecting them together, training them letting them take over the fight. It had never quite worked out, there was always more to do and as each year slipped away she just grew older and wearier. It seemed that a slayer’s work was never done it just went on and on…

Turning, Buffy saw her face in the mirror behind the bar, she wondered were that young woman who'd been so full of hope for the future had gone. Raising her glass to the lonely old lady who stared back at her, Buffy drank a quiet toast to all her dead friends.

“Absent friends,” she smiled sadly and sipped her drink; she checked her watch, not long now.

0=0=0=0

Having just started on her second glass of wine, Buffy felt the familiar pull of a vampire as it walked behind her. Glancing up at the mirror she saw nothing, she’d not really expected to see anything but it was always wise to check. Turning slightly on her stool she saw the vamp standing a few feet down the bar from her. A female dressed in the latest fashions, her pail skin almost luminous in the dim interior of the pub.

The barman served her a long drink, he didn’t appear to notice that the woman cast no reflection in the mirror behind the bar. The vampire lifted her glass to her blood red lips, the ice clinking against the glass as she sipped and looked around at the customers. Her eyes slid over Buffy dismissing her as a meal in a second, she showed no sign of sensing the slayer who sat mere feet away. Buffy turned to look into the mirror again, she saw the old woman there as she sipped her wine and smiled at her.

Ordering a mineral water, Buffy continued to watch the vamp-girl as she drifted around the bar looking for tonight’s ‘plaything’. After a while the vampire appeared to choose her prey; she sat down next to a pretty looking blonde girl, probably a student from one of the London universities. The girl had been with some friends but they’d left earlier while the blonde had stayed to read a book and finish her drink.

Buffy could imagine what the vamp would be saying; she’d ask the girl what book she was reading, then she’d ask if the blonde was at university. The vamp sat and smiled nodding her head politely as she let the girl chat on about her life that would soon be cut short. Just as Buffy was wondering how she was going to get the vamp on her own the blonde got up and headed towards the back of the bar. Moments later the vamp got up and followed her. Sliding from her stool, Buffy picked up her cane, she caught the eye of the barman.

“Ladies room?” she asked.

“Back of the bar,” the barman pointed in the direction that the blonde had gone in, “you can’t miss it.”

Smiling her thanks Buffy limped towards the back of the bar. Finding a door marked ‘Ladies’ she pushed it open and found herself in a long brightly lit corridor. There were two doors at the far end. Moving quietly and surprisingly quickly she made it to the other end without hearing or seeing anyone else; she tried the first door, it was locked, probably a storage room.

Pushing the other door open a crack she heard the unmistakeable sound of a vampire feeding and the weak moans of her victim. Twisting the grip of her stick Buffy drew the concealed stake from her walking stick. Setting her teeth against the pain that she knew would come when she moved unaided, she barged through the door. In a step and a half she was across the room before the vampire could even react. Raising her stake Buffy struck, the point of her weapon passing easily through the vamps clothes and body driven by still powerful slayer muscles. The vamp was still sucking on the blonde’s neck as she turned to dust. Catching the girl in one arm Buffy gently laid her on the floor just as another customer opened the door.

“Quick!” Buffy cried, not giving the other woman a chance to say or do anything, “Get the barman to call an ambulance!”

0=0=0=0

“On the house,” the barman put another glass of wine in front of Buffy.

The paramedics had come and gone having taken the girl to the nearest Accident and Emergency unit. Attempted suicide, they’d muttered; a couple of Community Support Officers had turned up and taken a statement from Buffy. She’d claimed not to have seen anyone else in the Ladies room. After talking to a few other customers and the barman they’d seemed happy to go along with what the paramedics had said and left.

Sipping her wine Buffy looked at her watch, it was getting late, she told herself that she’d give it until she’d finished her drink then she’d leave. Time was getting on and she really wanted to go home…or so she told herself. Go home to an empty, silent apartment to watch old TV programs, eat a lonely meal and think about the past.

The sound of the door slamming open made Buffy jump a little and she nearly spilled her wine. Familiar laughter reached her ears as a crowd of young women entered the pub laughing and joking amongst themselves. Buffy turned just as the hand fell on her shoulder.

“‘B’!” Faith stood and smiled at her.

“Faith!” the word almost caught in Buffy's throat as she turned to hug her old friend, “Thank god you’re here,” Buffy surreptitiously wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Hey, what’s up ‘B’?” after returning Buffy’s hug Faith held her at arms length and studied her face, “You look like crap!”

“Gee, thanks,” Buffy laughed, “I can always rely on you to tell it how it is.”

“Yeah,” Faith agreed with a grin, “that’s my mission in life.”

“Faith?” called a young woman, “You coming?”

“Nah! It’s the way I’m standing!” replied Faith with a smile, “Look, I’ll be over in a minute, okay?”

The gaggle of young woman huddled around the bar as they tried to decide what they wanted to drink.

“Slayers?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah,” Faith nodded, “new batch, just showin’ ‘em around, y’know?” 

“God, they look so young,” sighed Buffy.

“You saying I don’t?” Faith punched Buffy playfully on the arm.

Looking at Faith, Buffy had to admit that time had been kinder to her than it had been to herself; she still oozed sex, she still moved with that almost languid sexuality that got her noticed in any bar or club she went into. Her hair had retained the dark brown of her youth except for one band of white that started above her right eye; foolish people said (just before they woke up in A&E) that it made her look like a badger. More sensible people would observe how cool it looked and how it reminded them of Lily Munster. Very sensible people didn’t mention it at all.

“Ow!” Buffy frowned and rubbed her arm.

“Y’know what ya problem is ‘B’?” Faith accepted a tall vodka tonic from one of the younger slayers.

“What?” Buffy flexed her arm trying to work some feeling back into it.

“You got old.”

0=0=0=0

It was now nearly eleven o’clock and the barman was looking pointedly at the clock on the wall. The younger slayers had moved on to a nightclub to dance the night away leaving the ‘oldies’ to catch up and reminisce about the old days. Buffy felt happier now than she’d done in a long time, maybe it was slaying the vamp earlier or talking with Faith. But somehow she felt years younger, even her leg didn’t hurt as much as it had…but that was probably something to do with all the wine she’d drunk. Standing up a little unsteadily the two women finished their drinks and headed towards the door; dropping off their glasses at the bar they called goodnight to the barman. Reaching the door Buffy turned and looked over the bar one last time, she smiled wistfully. Tonight had been like the old days, a happier time when she’d been younger and full of plans for the future. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps there was still time; still time to do all the things she’d promised herself she’d do all those years ago. 

Buffy laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Faith pushed the door open and stepped out into the street, it had even stopped raining.

“I was just thinking,” Buffy joined Faith out on the still wet pavement, “we may be older, but are we any wiser?”

“Know what y’mean, B,” Faith smiled and shook her head, “those were the days, eh?”

The End

0=0=0=0

Highlight and right click on the link below to hear Mary Hopkins sing ‘Those were the Days’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9JOmU2jFUo

Lyrics for ‘Those Were The Days’.

Once upon a time there was a tavern   
Where we used to raise a glass or two   
Remember how we laughed away the hours   
And dreamed of all the great things we would do 

Those were the days my friend   
We thought they'd never end   
We'd sing and dance forever and a day   
We'd live the life we choose   
We'd fight and never lose   
For we were young and sure to have our way.   
La la la la...   
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days 

Then the busy years went rushing by us   
We lost our starry notions on the way   
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern   
We'd smile at one another and we'd say 

Those were the days my friend   
We thought they'd never end   
We'd sing and dance forever and a day   
We'd live the life we choose   
We'd fight and never lose   
For we were young and sure to have our way.   
La la la la...   
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days 

Just tonight I stood before the tavern   
Nothing seemed the way it used to be   
In the glass I saw a strange reflection   
Was that lonely woman really me 

Those were the days my friend   
We thought they'd never end   
We'd sing and dance forever and a day   
We'd live the life we choose   
We'd fight and never lose   
For we were young and sure to have our way.   
La la la la...   
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days 

Through the door there came familiar laughter   
I saw your face and heard you call my name   
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser   
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same 

Those were the days my friend   
We thought they'd never end   
We'd sing and dance forever and a day   
We'd live the life we choose   
We'd fight and never lose   
For we were young and sure to have our way.   
La la la la...   
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days...


End file.
